10 minutes or so from downtown, 9th & 9th is one of the liveliest and most walkable neighborhoods in Salt Lake City.
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Welcome to the Best of the Beehive Academy. We provide students with essential lessons in Utah living. Each year, we create curriculum to stimulate your intellect, fill your belly, spark your imagination and inspire passion for exploring the place where you live. Our 2021 Best of the Beehive celebrates a year to remember, that’s for sure.
Our annual Best of the Beehive awards, hand-picked by the editors of Salt Lake, are your go-to guide of the best Utah has to offer. After completing our lessons on where to eat, shop and play, you’ll be ready to sit at the cool kids’ table. (P.S. Look for stickers marking “old school” favorites and “new school” upstarts that deserve your love too.)
Dining Hall
Where to eat
When the lunch (or dinner) bell rings, these standout food spots will give you the fuel to study for finals.
Teacher’s Lounge
Where to drink
After a long day of shaping young minds, our educators could use a stiff drink.
Playing Hooky
Where to shop
Primping & Preening
Where to rejuvenate
Get the look that will make you the coolest kid in school.
Field Trips
Where to play
Let’s pile into the bus and take this show on the road.
School Assembly
Where to get creative
“Alright everyone, settle down and pay attention or we will cancel this assembly and send you all back to class.”
Yearbook
The best, worst and most of this year,
Memories
We recount the spectacular, appalling and unforgettable.
When the lunch (or dinner) bell rings, these standout food spots will give you the fuel to study for finals. Here are our picks for some of the best dining in Utah.
The Cotton Bottom Inn & The Charleston
One’s an old favorite in a new space; the other’s a new upstart in an old (we’re talking 125-year-old) historic mansion. Last year, the group that owns Bar X and Beer Bar (famously including Ty Burrell, Phil Dunphy from TV’s Modern Family,) added the venerable Cotton Bottom Inn to their portfolio. The beloved institution now has an expanded patio and menu, including a plant-based version of the Cotton Bottom’s massive garlic burger. Meanwhile, down to Draper, The Charleston is drawing the “won’t go below 33rd crowd” farther south to a renovated mansion on beautifully landscaped grounds that offers an alluring outside dining experience with an exciting menu courtesy of chef/owner Marco Silva.
The Cotton Bottom Inn: 2820 E. 6200 South, Holladay, 801-849-8847
The Charleston: 1229 Pioneer Rd., Draper, 801-550-9348
The Dodo & Pie Fight
Go here for pies that aren’t meant to be shared—not that you’d want to anyway. Order a slice of the famous Toll House pie from The Dodo’s chalkboard of pastries or pick one of several hand pies from Pie Fight’s grab-and-go, order-at-the-window 9th and 9th location. The former, entering its fourth decade, recalls a time when Sugar House was full of distinctive local favorites, not chains, and the latter’s a scrappy upstart making the most of a tiny space with a takeout- and delivery-friendly set up perfect for the 2020s.
The Dodo: 1355 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-486-247
Pie Fight: 937 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-222-5373
Dolcetti & Spilled Milk
Take your pick: these 9th and 9th favorites, literally across the street from each other, are two of the coolest places to get dessert in Salt Lake. Dolcetti’s eclectic decor and approachable-hip ambiance are appropriate for coffeehouse chats, the gelato and sorbet flavors rotate daily and local love for the coconut sticky rice springs eternal. Spilled Milk has ice cream trucks and two permanent locations—one in Provo and the new one in SLC. The novelty concoctions, featuring favorite breakfast cereals, are equally appealing for squeaky clean date night planners and Fruity Pebbles-loving stoners.
Dolcetti: 902 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-485-3254
Spilled Milk: 907 E. 900 South, SLC; 495 E. 600 North, Provo, 801-556-1715
The Dodo: 1355 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-486-2473
Pie Fight: 937 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-222-5373
Red Iguana & Chile-Tepin
You probably know why to eat at Red Iguana by now. The west-side staple has been a must-try for Mexican food lovers since Brigham Young proclaimed “este es el lugar.” (Okay, actually just since the mid-1980s, but still.) Its marvelous mole is so powerful the Cardenas family opened a second location just a block away from the storied original. Meanwhile, Chile-Tepin is quickly building a sterling reputation of its own. The decadent queso recalls the dearly departed Alamexo, and the unfussy but elevated menu of crowd-pleasing favorites is an ideal pre-Jazz game meal.
Red Iguana: 736 W. North Temple, SLC, 801-322-1489
Chile-Tepin: 307 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-883-9255
Best Restaurant That Won’t Make Vegetarians Feel Like Pariahs
No disrespect to the venerable grain bowl, but even the staunchest advocates of plant-based eating sometimes want some delicious comfort food instead of bland utilitarian concoctions. Sammy’s Bistro Express makes nearly every one of their sandwiches and bowls—think Philly cheesesteaks and gyro bowls—in vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. It’s fast and affordable, too.
1764 Uinta Way, Park City, 435-731-8730
4 Reasons to Cheat on Your Diet
From hearty wholegrain breads to knife-thin crepes and sweet and sumptuous desserts, these Utah bakeries and patisseries make indulging in sinful sugars and carbs totally worth it.
Sweet Vinyl Bakeshop
This shop taught us that cupcakes can be sweet and too cool for school. In addition to the usual sugar, flour, vanilla, etc., Sweet Vinyl cupcakes are flavored with beer and liquor from local brewers and distillers. (Think imperial stout or lime and tequila margarita cupcakes.) Don’t worry teetotallers, there are classic non-alcoholic cupcakes, too.
1048 E. 2100 South, SLC
Granary Bakehouse
The cases of this bakery are filled with some of the best laminated pastries in town. Granary Bakehouse doesn’t skimp on the quality of the baked artisan breads, either, and sources with local ingredients.
1059 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-212-4298
Doki Doki Dessert Cafe
One of Salt Lake City’s most authentic Japanese bakeries and a purveyor of handcrafted pastries and cakes. The crepe cakes are made with more than 20 golden brown, soft crepes, layered with homemade cream, using fresh fruits and premium ingredients.
249 E. 400 South, SLC, 385-229-4339
Passion Flour Patisserie
This plant-based patisserie is in an up-and-coming neighborhood and pairs puffed-up pastries with a complement of coffee and tea lattes. The croissants have flaky and buttery crusts, despite the lack of real butter.
165 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-242-7040
Best Ways to Earn Extra Credit
For extra credit, bring home one of the following to entertain and satiate your pod at the next post-pandemic party.
Taste Off
Ever wonder who makes the best sugar cookie in Utah? What about the best BBQ? Taste Off allows you, along with your favorite people, to have your very own blind taste test at home. Decide for yourself which option scores the highest with a Take Home Taste Off kit.
Maven Oak Creative
Putting together the perfect charcuterie board requires a touch of artistry. Don’t risk messing it up. Maven Oak Creative handcrafts delicious and pleasing-the-eye charcuterie boards and boxes that you can pick up and take home to wow your guests at your next get-together.
Class is in session. See all of our Best of the Beehive Academy winners.
After a long day of shaping young minds, our educators could use a stiff drink. Here are our picks for some of the best bars, distilleries and tap rooms in Utah.
Best Bars You Haven’t Tried (Yet)
Varley
Varley is new to the cocktail bar scene, along with its companion restaurant The Ivy, but the modern aesthetic, complete with leather seating and low-lighting, might make you feel like it’s been around forever. The atmosphere pairs well with lingering over a classic cocktail like an Old Fashioned.
63 W. 100 South, SLC, 801-203-4124
The Pines
A new venture from the good people who brought you Dick N’ Dixies, The Pines now occupies the space once held by Tinwell, which closed in February 2020. If you’re looking for your new place for cocktails and conversations, try this joint on for size.
837 S. Main St., SLC, 801-906-8418
RYE
While RYE as a restaurant is not new, as of April of this year, it transitioned to a 21+ establishment. So even if you have tried RYE the restaurant, you should try weekend brunch at RYE the bar with only the company of other adults.
239 S. 500 East, SLC, 801-364-4655
Best Place to Wait for a Table at Takashi
Offering eclectic craft cocktails and multicultural small plates, Post Office Place is so much more than an antechamber for Takashi. Give yourself ample time to speak with trained bartenders before you head next door, and make sure to taste a few of their Japanese whiskies. Pro tip: Ask for a “special delivery” if you’re up for a boozy adventure.
16 W. Market St., SLC, 801-519-9595
Best Place to Pick up A DōTERRA Rep
The Red Door is one of Salt Lake’s most intimate drinking establishments. Dim, candlelit and man! That’s a big Che Guevara. It’s the perfect place for in-from-out-of-town conventioneers to seal the deal at the end of the night with amorous co-workers. For us locals, it’s a cozy hideaway that feels like somewhere else, sophisticated and elegant, perfect for a sneering discussion of laissez-faire economics, or just les affaires.
57 W. 200 South, SLC, 801-363-6030
Best Place to Feel Old
If you tell your cab driver to “take me to where the kids drink” you’ll end up at Ex-Wifes Place. The carpet is dank, the bathrooms are super sketch but the drinks are cheap and the surly bartenders sling them fast. The upside for anyone born before 1980? The bartenders secretly hate the kids, so if you kick down a decent tip, you’ll get their attention and service befitting of your age.
465 S. 700 East, SLC, 801-532-1954
Best Place to Go If You Started Dating a Vegan
Handlebar, a bicycle-themed bar located in the former location of the badly named bar Jam in the Marmalade (despite the name, we miss the Jam), is the perfect place for a carnivore to bring their vegan or vegetarian partner. Its “omnivore” menu unabashedly offers on-site smoked BBQ in the same breath as plant-based burgers and “wings.”
751 N. 300 West, SLC, 801-953-0588
Best Place to Start the Night
Purgatory Bar is a Swiss Army knife of a bar. It offers an array of spaces—a cozy spot by the fire, big tables to pack in the crew and an outdoor patio with a bocci court and cornhole boards. Purgatory’s menu of small bites and our favorite little burger satisfies your munchies while you pregame for whatever else the night has in store.
62 E. 700 South, SLC, 801-596-2294
Best Cocktail with a View
Surrounded by the mountains of Deer Valley Resort, the patio at Stein Eriksen Lodge is the perfect place to feel like you’re living the high life for a while. The New Norsemen’s signature drink, the Stein’s 52 Aquavit, brings a Scandinavian flair to a Park City Mountain cocktail.
7700 Stein Way, Park City, 866-996-0034
Best Day Drinking Spot
Whether you’re rallying from a late night or looking to start your weekend early with a little day drinking, Level Crossing Brewery Co. has what you need to get the job done. Craft brews and wood-fire pizzas complement the easy energy of the establishment. The open-air patio is perfect for dining with your dog al fresco or drinking with friends or all of the above.
2496 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, 385-270-5752
Best Places to Skip the Line at the Liquor Store
Why wait in line at the liquor store, when you can go right to the source? You’ll be buying directly from the makers of Utah’s own spirit revolution.
Holystone Distilling
Holystone Distilling is the home of unique concoctions, high-brow concepts that elevate the usual fare of distilled spirits, and some of their intoxicating blends can only be purchased from their location and are not the DABC liquor stores.
207 W. 4860 South, Murray, 503-328-4356
Sugar House Distillery
Sugar House Distillery invites you to “come by and see how it’s done.” And they mean it, too. They distill everything on site, and they source their ingredients locally and regionally, so a visit there will give you more than a peek under the hood.
2212 S. West Temple, SLC, 801-726-0403
Eight Settlers Distillery
Eight Settlers Distillery is entrenched in and inspired by the history of the Cottonwood Heights area, and so are the spirits. Take home a bottle from the store or stay and enjoy a taste of the past at the themed, on-site restaurant.
7321 Canyon Centre Pkwy., Cottonwood Heights, 385-900-4315
Best Tap Rooms You’ve Never Been To (Yet)
These breweries had the dubious distinction of opening their doors right when the rest of the world was closing theirs.
Grid City Beer Works
Approachable beers you can drink all day. Plus, the Grid City gang stalled the completion of a rooftop deck to pay salaries, spool up a canning operation and keep the beer flowing. (We hope they get that deck done soon though.)
333 W. 2100 South, SLC, 801-906-8390
Bewilder Brewing Co.
In a building decked out with an awesome Trent Call mural, Bewilder Brewing set up shop next to the nightclub Area 51 right when the pandemic hit the fan. But house-made sausages and a beer list that skews toward traditional German styles kept the doors open.
445 S. 400 West, SLC, 385-528-3840
Ogden River Brewery
Managing to open in October 2020 was quite a feat for railroad engineer turned brewer Pat Winslow. Located near the river that is its namesake, ORB is a welcome addition to Ogden’s revitalized river district.
358 Park Blvd., Ogden, 801-884-6939
Class is in session. See all of our Best of the Beehive Academy winners.
“Get in loser, we’re going shopping.” Here are our picks for some of the best shopping in Utah.
Best Place to Get a Ring to Put a Ring on It
If you’re seeking a sparkly way to commemorate a moment, or just in need of a little bling, O.C. Tanner never fails to impress. Their flagship location on State Street is a gem in itself and adds historic charm to a city quickly filling with skyscrapers. Head up to the third floor for timeless home decor and beautiful barware.
15 S. State St., SLC, 801-532-3222
Best Place to Find Mid-century Furniture at Mid-century Prices
On Heber’s Main Street, Mid-Century Closeout is you’ll discover an independent furniture store that specializes in furniture and lighting that transports us back to a simpler time. Think slim lines and legs and smooth, organic shapes that bring an air of classiness, even nostalgia, without the big-box furniture retailer ticket price.
81 S. Main St., Heber City, 801-515-7887
The Garden Store & The Fox Shop
Nothing says retail therapy like an ivy-covered cottage and lush garden. The Garden Store feels like a fairytale setting snuck in the middle of the city, and the store’s unique holiday displays and an eclectic combo of gardening tools and decorations only add to the charm. The Fox Shop also sells home decor and furnishings, and, while the store is brand new, the timeless style takes inspiration from classic 19th-century design.
The Garden Store: 678 S. 700 East, SLC, 801-595-6622,
The Fox Shop: 4696 S. Holladay Blvd., Holladay
Best Places to Find a Gift When You Forgot You Needed a Gift
Don’t turn to Amazon when you’re desperate for that last-minute birthday present. Two quirky boutiques with plenty of one-of-a-kind gifts, Salt & Honey is a “maker’s market” that teams with local vendors selling everything from fine art to kids’ toys, and Hip & Humble is the kind of place where zodiac-themed bath bombs and a climate march puzzle happily coexist on the same shelves. An added bonus: Greeting cards massively cuter than Hallmark.
Salt & Honey: 926 E. 900 South, SLC, 385-368-6088; 6191 S. State St. Ste. 1980, Murray, 385-842-3819
Hip & Humble: 1043 E. 900 South, SLC, 801-467-3130
4 Spots to Find Clothes Worn By Someone Else
While the price and ease of fast fashion can be tempting as cheating on a test, its carbon footprint is not small. Find one-of-a-kind items, cheaply and sustainably at Utah’s solid secondhand-clothing boutiques.
iconoCLAD
IconoCLAD has a self-proclaimed “unabashedly quirky” style with a wide variety of items to choose from. If you aren’t searching for one particular item, and simply want to have fun with thrifting, this is the place to go. Or, if you want to support sustainable practices from the comforts of your own home, products are available for pick-up or shipping. When you consign with them, you keep 50% percent of the profit.
414 E. 300 South, SLC, 801-833-2272
Namedroppers
An upscale resale boutique, Namedroppers is a luxury bargain hunter’s dream. With two locations, including an outlet store, they serve a wide community in Salt Lake City. Owner, Tiffany Colaizzi, and her staff are knowledgeable about the high-end brands they carry and will help you find the perfect fit.
3355 S. Highland Dr., 801-486-1128; 2350 E. Parleys Way, 801-474-1644,
Vantage
Vantage is filled with hand-picked men’s and women’s clothing. Interspersed with rare ’80s and ’90s items, you will find handmade pieces, sure to liven up your wardrobe. Stay up to date with their newest items through their Instagram, @vantageslc.
774 E. 800 South, SLC, 385-315-1848
Decades
Decades specializes in vintage clothing, hence the name. They pride themselves on their high-quality garments for men and women alike, ranging from the 1920s to the present day. Many of the pieces in their collection have never been worn and still have the original tags.
627 S. State St., SLC, 801-537-1357
Class is in session. See all of our Best of the Beehive Academy winners.
Get the look that will make you the coolest kid in school. Here are our picks for some of the best wellness and beauty in Utah.
Best Place to Splurge on Product
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Got Beauty has served generations of beauty fanatics. Their Sugar House location is wall-to-wall packed with best-selling beauty, sought-after skincare and professional-grade hair products. So whether you’re in the mood to spend some dough or just pick up your go-to product, Got Beauty simply can’t be beat.
904 E. 2100 South, SLC, 801-474-2090
Best Place to Get a Manicure with Bling to Match
Nova Nails makes a great addition to jewelry/goods/all things shiny shop Mineral and Matter. Located in the heart of the Maven district, they are a one-stop-shop for a shimmering gel manicure and a unique ring to match. Nova also donates 3% of every manicure to local charities like Utah Women’s Coalition—so you can feel good about indulging in a little luxury.
177 E. 900 South SLC, 801-916-7987
The Kura Door Spa & Stillwell Spa Snowpine Lodge
Kura Door is Utah’s foremost Japanese-style spa offering holistic healing and rejuvenation services. Consider their private Ofuro baths and signature Kura massage the next time you’re in need of a little self-care. Travel further south and up Little Cottonwood Canyon to a modern spa in a historic building. After renovating a 19th-century lodge, Snowpine Lodge opened its doors in 2019. Their Stillwell Spa’s indoor grottos are a worthy pitstop after a long ski day.
Kura Door: 1136 E. 3rd Ave., SLC, 801-364-2400,
Stillwell Spa: 10420 Little Cottonwood Rd., Alta, 801-742-2000
Best Sculptor Since Michaelangelo
Dr. Constantine aims to restore youthful confidence with an artistic sense of balance. From the consultation to the day of the procedure, the staff at Constantine Cosmetics work with each client to ensure natural and attainable results.
5929 S. Fashion Blvd., Murray, 801-261-3637
Best Place to Recover
Isha Esthetics and Wellness works with clients and their surgeons to design personalized recovery programs complete with private home care, travel planning and medical concierge. They even offer a Grand America recovery package, so you can have a 5-star post-op experience.
4700 S. 900 East, Murray, 385-275-5765
Best Blow Out
For special occasions, photoshoots or just fighting a bad hair day, Drybar is a pit stop to perfection. Their team of blow-out professionals matches your hair with the right products and offers a variety of styles to choose from. The first Utah location opened last January, owned and operated by a lovely mother-daughter duo.
1133 E. Wilmington Ave. SLC, 385-429-5334
Best Head-to-Toe Treatment
Skinspirit is a cosmetic spa offering every service from facials, to lasers, to injectables. Work with experts and create a custom-tailed treatment plan that meets your aesthetic goals.
1160 E. 2100 South, SLC, 385-343-5300
Class is in session. See all of our Best of the Beehive Academy winners.
Let’s pile into the bus and take this show on the road. Here are our picks for some of the best outdoor adventures and kid-friendly fun in Utah.
Best Epic Ride with an Epic Pit Stop
Riding UT-12 from Torrey to Escalante is a bucket list activity for passionate cyclists. Pedaling through rolling red rock terrain and seeing Pando—the massive clonal colony of quaking aspen considered a single organism that’s roughly 16,000 years old—is inspiring, but admittedly exhausting. Refuel with some caffeine, calories and views at Kiva Koffeehouse, which is built right into the landscape.
7386 UT-12, Escalante, 435-826-4550
Best Short Hike to Bring Your Inflatable SUP and a Cooler
Blood’s Lake is a gorgeous little alpine lake near Guardsman Pass, which is both easy to get to and a great way to beat the heat. The out-and-back trail is under three miles round trip. It’s not nothing, but we’ve seen it done by folks sporting flip-flops while carrying an inflatable flamingo float. Keep an eye out for the moose frequenting the lake to stay cool.
Guardsman Pass Rd., Park City
Best Hot Springs for the Whole Family
After hiking, biking or any other type of outdoor adventure, sore muscles and diminishing patience are commonplace. Rejuvenate in the enormous naturally heated water at Crystal Hot Springs. A hot spring, a cold spring, an Olympic-sized pool, hot tubs and water slides mean there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
8215 UT-38, Honeyville, 435-339-0038
Best Unique Fly-Fishing Landscape
There aren’t many places you can fish a world-class trout river in the middle of the red rock desert. The Fremont River near Capitol Reef National Park holds a tailwater fishery with deep, shaded pools full of cutthroat and brook trout and even some tiger muskie. Call up the Fremont River Guides for some help hooking the big ones.
Torrey, 435-425-3999
Best Kid Friendly Playgrounds
There’s Utah’s natural playground, then there are the man-made playgrounds that cater to the thousands of families who call Utah home.
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
Ostensibly, you and the kids could learn a lot about marine life on a trip to the aquarium. You can also touch your fair share of aquatic wildlife, which, at least for the kids, might be the real draw.
12033 S. Lone Peak Pkwy., Draper, 801-355-3474
Christa McAuliffe Space Center
Originally, the Star Trek-esque mission simulators were just for kids, and, while kids are still welcome, the Space Center now caters to Starfleet members of all ages. You can book a private mission for family, co-workers or friends.
95 N. 400 East, Pleasant Grove, 801-610-8363
Lagoon & Evermore
Every few years, you might find something new at Lagoon, but it’s the classics that keep people coming back. For something entirely new, you can live out your fantasy-world dreams at Evermore, where you can immerse yourself in a world aided by medieval sets and devoted costumed performers.
Lagoon: 75 N. Lagoon Dr., Farmington, 801-451-8000
Evermore: 382 S. Evermore Ln., Pleasant Grove, 801-796-2372
Hogle Zoo
The event calendar for Hogle Zoo is chock-full of animal fun, but you’ll want to time your visit to see one of the Zoo’s baby animals.
2600 E. Sunnyside Ave., SLC, 801-584-1700
Class is in session. See all of our Best of the Beehive Academy winners.
“Alright everyone, settle down and pay attention or we will cancel this assembly and send you all back to class.” Here are our picks for some of the best art in Utah.
Utah Shakespeare Festival & SONDERimmersive
Celebrating its 60th anniversary, Utah Shakespeare Festival is definitely old-school—like Elizabethan old. But this Cedar City institution proves old isn’t the same as boring with a lineup of Shakespeare, family-friendly musicals and contemporary plays. sonderIMMERSIVE’s inventive productions—like Through Yonder Window, where audiences stayed in their cars for Shakespeare in the Park(ing garage)—combine modern dance, improv and experimental theater, breathing new life into the old source material.
Utah Shakespeare Festival: 195 W. Center St., Cedar City, 800-752-9849
Best Playground for Artists (And the Rest of Us)
The comparisons to Sante Fe’s Meow Wolf are inevitable, but we admire the pluck of the local group of dreamers who created Dreamscapes as an artist’s playground of strange and wonderful landscapes that we get to explore. Using reclaimed materials, more than 100 Utah artists and volunteers are continually tinkering with the Dreamscapes experience, keeping it fresh and new, just like a dream.
111 S. Rio Grande St., SLC, 801-637-5155
Best New Update to an Old Theater
Salt Lake Acting Company’s unique location, a former LDS meetinghouse near Capitol Hill, is a large part of the theater’s cheeky charm. The 130-year-old building, however, was inaccessible to many audience members with disabilities. Using the pandemic-forced pause in live performances for good, SLAC launched The Amberlee Fund, a $1 million capital campaign named after a wheelchair-bound patron who passed away in 2019. While their stage remained empty, SLAC completely redesigned their theater and dressing rooms to be more accessible.
168 W. 500 North, SLC, 801-363-7522
Best New Old Way to Watch Indie and Classic Films
Although the Salt Lake Film Society’s Motor Cinema was, we imagine, a panicked response to find ways to keep showing movies during a pandemic, we hope it sticks around. The small “pop-up” drive-in theater on the Redman Movies & Stories Backlot has become a legit new way to see the quality movies we’d normally watch at the Tower and Broadway theaters. SLFS has rolled out a full summer lineup of first-run independent and foreign cinema screenings alongside cleverly curated blocks of slasher films and independent film classics.
1075 S. 700 West, SLC, 801-321-0310
Best Way to Experience an Eye-opening Paradigm Shift
The Sorting Out Race exhibition at The Leonardo (in partnership with the Utah Black Chamber) demonstrates how mundane, everyday objects can perpetuate ugly racial stereotypes. Another exhibit, Perception, explores how your mind manipulates your senses to shape your worldview. These and other exhibits and art installations at The Leonardo are meant to be mind-expanding and, occasionally, world-shattering (in a good way). Just like the work of its namesake, it’s part art, part science and all innovative.
209 E. 500 South, SLC, 801-531-9800
Class is in session. See all of our Best of the Beehive Academy winners.
Yearbook superlatives are a scholastic tradition that allows us to recognize the people who were “the best …” or “the most …” something. There were a lot of standouts this past year, but here are our winners.
Most Athletic:
Ryan Smith
Everyone knows the most powerful muscle you can flex is money and lots of it. That’s why owning a professional sports team is the business of billionaires. That makes for a small pool of talent who could buy the Utah Jazz from the Miller Familly. Ryan Smith, the founder of Utah-based data science company Qualtrics, bought the Jazz for $1.6 billion. To think, Smith could have bought the Minnesota Timberwolves for $1.5 billion instead.
Least Woke:
Natalie Cline
The moniker “least woke” could be seen as a dubious distinction or a badge of honor. Natalie Cline, we expect, considers it the latter. As a member of the Utah State Board of Education, Cline has called “child indoctrination” on racially inclusive curriculum, the Utah Pride Center and the word “woke.” While some students belong to marginalized groups, Cline says those topics should stay at home meanwhile flouting calls for her resignation.
Most Likely to Succeed:
Angela Dunn
After guiding Utah’s pandemic response through a, umm, fraught political atmosphere—garnering national attention by presenting the science without commenting on some discrepant policy—State Epidemiologist Angela Dunn probably could have taken any job anywhere. Instead, she’s staying in Utah, accepting the position of Director of the Salt Lake County Health Department. At least she can expect fewer protests at her house.
Worst Break Up:
Mitt Romney and the Republican Party
The spark is gone, they’ve grown apart and they don’t see eye-to-eye anymore. Mitt Romney’s relationship with the Republican Party is a breakup we all saw coming. Romney was on the course of criticizing the president, only to discover his party was going to a place he couldn’t follow: Trumpland. The Utah GOP voted to censure Romney. It failed, so there might be hope for these two crazy kids yet.
Class Clowns:
Utah County’s Clean Comedy Scene
“The Utah County comedy scene is so hot right now,” said no one. But it’s true. Provo has long been a bastion of “clean comedy,” a term often spoken with a derisive eye roll. And yet, Dry Bar Comedy pumps out hours of “safe for work” stand-up. The sketch comedy of Studio C and Freelancers reach online audiences well outside of Cougar territory. Turns out, you don’t need to play blue to make people laugh.
Most Drama:
Jen Shah
Being a Real Housewife of Salt Lake City requires a certain penchant for drama. Jen Shah is hardly the first wealthy Utahn accused in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme, but she might be the first to get arrested on basic cable. Even by Housewife standards, Shah lives lavishly. She is known for decking out in designer brands, decadent parties and her ever-growing roster of assistants. But, we never expected the dramatic twist of learning how she pays for that lifestyle (allegedly).
Photos: Ryan smith, Natalie Cline & Mitt Romney, Courtesy photos; Jen Shah, Courtesy Bravo; Angela Dunn, Photo by Adam Finkle
Class is in session. See all of our Best of the Beehive Academy winners.
The last year has been unforgettable. Let’s reflect on some of the spectacular and appalling moments we shared together (just in case you did forget them).
Extreme Wind
Not many things turned our gawking heads away from pandemic coverage in 2020, but, that September, hurricane-force winds certainly did the trick! Speaking of tricks, when the 100+ mph winds uprooted as many as 1,000 trees in Salt Lake City, some local skateboarders knew a golden opportunity when they saw one, using the ripped-up sidewalk in the Rose Park neighborhood to get some air. On the flip side, the state estimated the extreme wind resulted in $9 million in damages.
The Day The Music Died
We all knew 2020 was going to be an absolutely ludicrous year when right as we were heading into lockdown, a 5.7 earthquake knocked the horn right out of the hands of angel Moroni (the golden statue cake topper on the LDS Salt Lake Temple). The epicenter of the earthquake was about 10 miles west of Salt Lake City in Magna, which saw the most destruction. We all got plenty of practice diving under tables and into doorways during the 2,600 or so aftershocks that followed, sticking the state with the $629-million bill for damages.
The Monolith
Nothing says “we are not alone” quite like a mysterious metallic monolith appearing deep within the alien landscapes of Southern Utah’s red rock country. On Nov. 18, 2020, the Utah DPS Aero Bureau and DWR were counting bighorn sheep when they spied the shiny object from the air. People were quick to call the structure “Kubrickian” in its appearance, and many sought it out, but no one stepped up to take credit for it. The mystery of the monolith only deepened when it disappeared sometime on the evening of Nov. 27. Earthly authorities warned visitors (extraterrestrial or otherwise) to Leave No Trace next time they venture onto public lands. Still, it was kind of cool.
I’m Glad I’m Not In Dixie
Dixie State University is getting dragged (into the 21st century, that is). Shockingly, having “dixie” on the resumé hurts alumni job prospects. Some defend the name on a historical basis, but the word usually refers to the 11 southern states that seceded, kicking off the American Civil War. So, what connection did “dixie” ever have to Utah other than nostalgia for the slave-owning South and failed enterprises? Now, there’s a committee in charge of proposing a (hopefully) less racist name.
Sold To The Only Bidder
Who could forget the time the Utah Coronavirus Task Force, led by now-governor Spencer Cox, overspent millions of taxpayer dollars by circumventing the normal public bidding process for state contracts? The state spent more than $108 million using “emergency procurement.” Some of those purchases drew the side-eye from lawmakers (including $4 million on a failed phone app), inspiring audits and an investigation. It also inspired a 2021 bill that puts time limits on the length of future no-bid contracts.
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